Opinion Essay Topics: 74 Ideas by Grade, With Both Sides

A good opinion essay topic is a question you can answer with "I think" and then defend with reasons, like "Should recess be longer?" or "Is a four-year degree worth the cost?" Below are 74 opinion essay topics sorted by grade level, from elementary school to college, plus easy, fun and IELTS-style prompts. Each one has a short note on what each side will say, so you can pick a position you can actually support.

Opinion essays are the first kind of argument most students write. The topic only has to pass one test: a classmate could reasonably disagree with you.

What Makes a Good Opinion Essay Topic

It asks for a judgment, not a fact. "How many planets are in the solar system?" has one answer. "Should Pluto still be called a planet?" has two sides.

You can give at least two reasons. If your only reason is "because I like it," pick a different topic or dig until you find a second reason someone else would accept.

It fits the length. A one-page essay needs a narrow question. "Is technology good?" is too big. "Should phones be allowed at lunch?" fits.

10 Good Opinion Essay Topics

Need a topic fast? These ten work at almost any grade and have strong points on both sides.

• Schools should switch to a four-day week. For: more rest and an easier time hiring teachers. Against: childcare gaps for working parents and fewer hours of instruction.
• Students should be allowed to use AI tools on homework. For: it's a skill they'll use at work. Against: it can skip the thinking that homework exists to build.
• Restaurants should replace tipping with higher menu prices and set wages. For: steadier pay and simpler bills. Against: servers at busy restaurants often earn more with tips.
• Every high school student should take a public speaking class. For: almost every job involves presenting. Against: it crowds out electives, and anxious students may dread it.
• Zoos do more good than harm. For: breeding programs and education. Against: animals that roam huge ranges in the wild struggle in enclosures.
• Social media does more harm than good for teenagers. For: sleep loss and constant comparison. Against: friendship, support communities and creative outlets.
• Remote work is better than working in an office. For: no commute and more flexibility. Against: new employees learn less, and teamwork suffers.
• Homework should be optional in elementary school. For: young kids need play and family time. Against: practice at home builds habits and reading skills.
• Space exploration is worth the money. For: scientific discovery and technology that reaches everyday life. Against: the money could solve problems on Earth now.
• Professional athletes are paid fairly. For: they earn what their audience generates. Against: the gap with teachers and nurses says something about our priorities.

Opinion Writing Topics for Elementary Students

For 2nd through 5th grade, keep topics close to the classroom and home. Every kid already has an opinion on these, so the work goes into the reasons.

• Recess should be longer. For: kids focus better after moving. Against: less time for reading and math.
• Every class should have a class pet. For: kids learn responsibility. Against: allergies, cost and who cares for it over break.
• Dogs make better pets than cats. For: loyal and playful. Against: cats are easier to care for.
• Kids should get an allowance for doing chores. For: they learn to manage money. Against: chores are part of being in a family.
• School uniforms are a good idea. For: less morning stress and less teasing about clothes. Against: kids lose a way to show who they are.
• Books are better than the movies made from them. For: more detail and your own imagination. Against: movies bring stories to people who don't read them.
• Every student should learn to play an instrument. For: music builds patience and teamwork. Against: not everyone enjoys it, and instruments cost money.
• Kids should choose what they eat for school lunch. For: they eat what they pick. Against: they might skip the healthy options.
• Field trips teach more than a regular school day. For: kids remember what they see in person. Against: they're expensive and take a full day.
• Summer is the best season. For: no school and long days. Against: heat, bugs and boredom by August.

Opinion Essay Topics for Middle School

Middle schoolers can handle topics about school rules and growing up, and they should start naming the other side in one paragraph.

• Phones should be locked away for the whole school day. For: fewer distractions and less drama. Against: parents want to reach kids, and students need to learn self-control.
• Weekends should be homework-free. For: rest and family time. Against: some projects need longer stretches of time.
• Effort should count toward grades. For: it rewards hard workers. Against: grades should show what you've learned.
• Video games are good for kids. For: problem-solving and teamwork. Against: they can crowd out sleep, homework and exercise.
• Kids under 13 should not have social media accounts. For: younger kids aren't ready for online pressure. Against: banned kids lie about their age and lose guidance.
• Every student on a middle school team should get playing time. For: the point is learning. Against: competition teaches too, and strong players want to win.
• Students should choose some of their own classes. For: interest drives effort. Against: kids might skip subjects they'll need later.
• PE should be required every day. For: health and focus. Against: less time for academic classes.
• Foreign language classes should start in elementary school. For: young kids pick up languages more easily. Against: time and teachers are limited.
• Vending machines at school should sell only healthy food. For: better habits. Against: students will just buy snacks elsewhere.

Opinion Essay Topics for High School

High school opinion essays should use evidence, such as a statistic, a study or a real example, and answer the strongest objection.

• High schools should start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. For: teens' sleep cycles shift later. Against: bus schedules, jobs and sports get harder.
• Colleges should make standardized tests optional. For: scores track family income. Against: tests let students from weaker schools stand out.
• Community service should be required to graduate. For: it builds civic habits. Against: required volunteering isn't really volunteering.
• Personal finance should be a graduation requirement. For: everyone needs budgeting and credit basics. Against: it takes a slot from another course.
• Some classes should be graded pass/fail. For: students take risks and explore. Against: less motivation and less information for colleges.
• Students should be allowed to leave campus for lunch. For: independence and better food. Against: safety, traffic and late returns.
• Schools should still teach cursive. For: reading historical documents and signing your name. Against: the time is better spent on typing or other skills.
• Taking a gap year before college is a good idea. For: maturity and clearer goals. Against: some students never go back.
• Group projects should count less than individual work. For: grades should reflect your own effort. Against: teamwork is a real skill.
• Students should grade their teachers. For: feedback improves teaching. Against: students may reward easy classes.

Opinion Essay Topics for College

College opinion essays should engage with research and take on the best version of the opposing view, not the easiest one.

• Tuition at public universities should be free. For: an educated workforce benefits everyone. Against: the cost to taxpayers, and the benefit goes partly to families who could pay.
• Attendance should not count toward a course grade. For: adults should manage their own time. Against: showing up predicts learning.
• Every student should take courses outside their major. For: breadth and better thinking. Against: higher cost and slower graduation.
• Unpaid internships should be phased out. For: they favor students who can afford to work free. Against: some opportunities would disappear entirely.
• Laptops should be banned in lecture halls. For: fewer distractions for you and those around you. Against: accessibility and better notes for fast typists.
• Colleges should end legacy admissions. For: admission should be earned. Against: alumni ties fund scholarships.
• Colleges should not punish students based on AI-detector scores alone. For: false positives can hurt honest students. Against: without detectors, cheating gets easier.
• Universities should stay neutral on political issues. For: open debate for students of all views. Against: silence can be a position too.
• Fraternities and sororities do more good than harm. For: community, networking and service. Against: hazing and exclusivity.
• A four-year degree is worth the cost for most students. For: higher lifetime earnings on average. Against: debt, and good careers that don't need a degree.

Easy Opinion Essay Topics

These need almost no research, so they work for timed writing, a first essay or a warm-up.

• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For: energy and focus. Against: some people do fine without it.
• Reading on paper beats reading on a screen. For: fewer distractions. Against: screens are portable and searchable.
• Everyone should learn to cook. For: health and saving money. Against: time, and not everyone enjoys it.
• Weekends should be three days long. For: rest makes people more productive. Against: work and school would have to fit into four days.
• Kids should be paid for good grades. For: it motivates. Against: learning should be its own reward.
• City life is better than country life. For: jobs, transit and things to do. Against: space, quiet and cost of living.
• Handwritten notes are better than typed notes. For: writing by hand makes you summarize. Against: typing is faster and easier to organize.
• Board games beat video games for family time. For: everyone plays face to face. Against: many video games are social too.

Fun Opinion Essay Topics

Silly questions make great practice because nobody has a memorized answer. You still need real reasons.

• Pineapple belongs on pizza. For: sweet and salty work together. Against: fruit doesn't go on pizza.
• A hot dog is a sandwich. For: filling inside bread. Against: nobody orders it as one.
• Cereal is a soup. For: solid food in liquid, eaten with a spoon. Against: soup is savory and usually hot.
• Flying is a better superpower than invisibility. For: freedom and travel. Against: invisibility is more useful day to day.
• Being early is better than being exactly on time. For: respect and less stress. Against: wasted time waiting.
• Watching a movie in a theater beats watching at home. For: big screen and shared reactions. Against: price, noise and no pause button.
• Socks with sandals are acceptable. For: comfort and warmth. Against: it looks odd to most people.
• Visiting the past would be better than visiting the future. For: see history happen. Against: the future holds answers we don't have.

IELTS Opinion Essay Topics

The IELTS Writing Task 2 "agree or disagree" question is an opinion essay. The British Council's practice materials advise spending about 40 of the test's 60 minutes on Task 2 and writing at least 250 words. These practice prompts are written in the same style. They are not official test questions.

• Some people think university education should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Children today spend too much time on screens. Do you agree or disagree?
• Protecting the environment is more important than economic growth. To what extent do you agree?
• Working from home benefits employees more than employers. Do you agree or disagree?
• Governments should spend more on public transport than on new roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Museums and galleries should be free to enter. Do you agree or disagree?
• Advertising aimed at children should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Schools should teach practical skills such as cooking and budgeting instead of only academic subjects. Do you agree or disagree?

For IELTS, state your position in the introduction, give two body paragraphs of reasons with examples, mention the opposing view briefly, and restate your opinion in the conclusion.

How to Choose an Opinion Essay Topic

1. Pick a topic you already have a reaction to. Strong feelings point to reasons you can explain.
2. Write the other side's best reason first. If you can't think of one, the topic is too one-sided to argue.
3. Check your reasons. You need two or three, and each should stand on its own. "It's fun" and "it's enjoyable" are the same reason.
4. Match the topic to the length. Narrow big ideas until one essay can cover them.

If your assignment asks you to persuade a specific audience to act, persuasive essay topics fits better. If it requires research and sources, argumentative essay topics has 100 claims with both sides.

How to Structure an Opinion Essay: The OREO Method

Many elementary teachers teach opinion writing with OREO:

1. Opinion. State what you think: "I think recess should be longer."
2. Reason. Give a reason: "Kids focus better after they move around."
3. Example (or Explanation). Back it up: "After recess, our class finishes math faster."
4. Opinion restated. Say it again in new words: "That's why a longer recess would help everyone learn."

Older students stretch the same pattern into five paragraphs: an introduction with a clear thesis, two or three body paragraphs (each with one reason and its evidence), a paragraph that answers the other side, and a conclusion. A sample thesis: "Schools should lock away phones for the whole day because students focus better and lunch becomes more social, even if parents lose some instant contact."

For a stronger structure, the Toulmin model of argument shows how to connect each reason to your claim with a warrant, the part opinion essays usually skip.

Opinion vs Persuasive vs Argumentative Essays

The three overlap, and teachers use the names differently. Here is the usual distinction:

The Common Core standards used in many US states follow the same progression. From kindergarten through 5th grade, writing standard 1 asks for opinion pieces supported by reasons. From 6th grade on, it asks for arguments with claims, reasons and credible evidence, and by 7th grade, students have to acknowledge opposing claims.

Practice Your Opinion Out Loud

Saying your opinion out loud is the fastest way to find a weak reason. Pick a topic from this list and argue it against an AI opponent on Debate Ladder. You get a timed opening, rebuttal and closing, the opponent pushes back on your reasons the way a skeptical reader would, and an AI judge scores the round. After two or three rounds you'll know which reason belongs first in your essay.

More Topic Lists

For younger writers, debate topics for kids has 80 more questions sorted by grade. Older students can find more by grade in middle school debate topics, high school debate topics and college debate topics. For lighter prompts, see funny debate topics. Every list on the site is linked from the complete guide to debate topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good opinion essay topic? A good opinion essay topic is a question reasonable people disagree about that you can support with at least two reasons. "Should school start later?" and "Is a four-year degree worth the cost?" both work because each side has real points.

What are some opinion essay topics for middle school? Good middle school topics include whether phones should be locked away all day, whether effort should count toward grades, whether kids under 13 should have social media, and whether PE should be required daily.

Can you give me 20 opinion topics for an essay? Start with the 10 good opinion essay topics at the top of this page, then add any 10 from the grade-level section that matches your class. Every topic on this page comes with a note on both sides.

What is the OREO method for opinion writing? OREO stands for Opinion, Reason, Example (or Explanation), and Opinion restated. It gives younger writers a simple order for a paragraph or short essay: say what you think, explain why, prove it, and close by repeating your view in new words.

What is the difference between an opinion essay and an argumentative essay? An opinion essay explains what you think and why, often using personal reasons and examples. An argumentative essay has to prove a claim with research and credible sources and must answer the opposing side.

How long is an IELTS opinion essay? IELTS Writing Task 2 asks for at least 250 words, and the British Council suggests spending about 40 of the Writing test's 60 minutes on it.